Before Dursley
by nrubsro nahte
Summary: The Relationship between Lily and Petunia Evans before and during Lily's attendance to Hogwarts.


Before Dursley

Chapter 1  
The Strange Letter

The old bed groaned as its current occupant began to stir. Petunia Evans had just woke up and was in a particularly good mood. She removed her nightcap to reveal long locks of curly blonde hair and stretched her long, skinny neck. After she had fluffed her hair a bit, she got off the bed and walked over to her window. Drawing back the curtains she was momentarily blinded by the bright and warm light of the sun.

A few seconds later her eyes had adjusted and she could see all of the activities going on outside. There were children of all ages running around, playing with dogs and cats, kicking around a football, or jumping through the soft mist of a lawn sprinkler. Men were out mowing their lawns or occupying the children while women were busily tending to their gardens or lounging by the pool to get their much needed tans. The postman was out on his normal Wednesday route delivering everyone's post to keep them up to date on current events and give some that long anticipated summer bonus. It seemed that in every part of town there was some kind of fun activity going on, only adding to Petunia's cheerful mood.

Coming away from the window, Petunia tied on her bathrobe and headed to the bathroom to do the normal morning routine. After a few minutes that Petunia spent in the bathroom, examining her face in the mirror, using the stool, brushing her hair and teeth, and washing her face, she headed downstairs to her family and the simmering bacon, pancakes, and eggs. It was her sister, Lily's birthday and it was tradition in the Evans family to have a birthday breakfast, lunch and dinner, making their special day all about them.

She entered the kitchen to receive a peck on the cheek from her father, who was sitting at the table reading the Saturday edition of the newspaper, and a soft "good morning dear" from her mother.

"Good morning mum!" Petunia replied cheerfully.  
"Did you sleep well?" her father asked her, not looking up from his morning paper.  
"Like a baby." Noticing her sister in the far corner of the room, Petunia gasped. "Am I in the presence of an 11-year old?" she pretended to ask herself out loud.

Lily giggled and put her book down. Brushing her auburn-brown hair out of her emerald green

eyes Lily looked around, as if trying to spot the person that Petunia was talking about, "Where?" she asked playfully, and they both chuckled together. 

Petunia looked down into her sister's lap. It seemed that Lily always had a book in her hand, and the book seemed to be a different one every day, sometimes Petunia could even catch her with more than one per day. Petunia loved her sister dearly, but she just couldn't understand how one person could read so much.

Petunia also liked school, but not so much for the reading, or really the academics in general. She liked the boys, and to socialize with her friends and most importantly, Petunia liked to be in the know on all of the schools gossip. So, naturally, she was as excited as ever to go back to school. She was eager to see all of her friends and hear the stories of camping trips and bonfires. But what really made Petunia ready to go back was the fact that this year, Lily was going to attend the same school as her.

For the past two years, Petunia was allowed to attend a private school that her mother and father paid for while Lily was still going to public school. It started as extra help for Petunia because her grades were gradually falling every year. And Lily, being as bright and intelligent as she was, didn't need to attend the new school, so Petunia went on her own. But the more Lily and her parents thought about it, the more they decided that it would be better for her. So they promised her that when she turned 11, the same age Petunia was when she joined, Lily would also be allowed to attend the new school.

"What's this one about?" asked Petunia, glancing at the book.  
"Oh," said Lily, sounding excited at her sisters interest, "Well, you see it's about this girl, and she's not treated so well at home, so she finally runs away to this big city where she has to live on the street because she doesn't know anyone and doesn't have a job, so she has to beg for food, and I just got to this part where she met this man who is going to help her find work and a place to live, and so far that's all I know but I'm thinking and somewhat hoping that they fall in love. I just started it this morning." finished Lily, hoping that her older sister would find it interesting.

But before Petunia could comment, their mother interrupted with a pleasant, "Breakfast is almost ready, Petunia darling, and could you go and receive the mail?"  
"Sure mum." She answered happily and walked out of the kitchen into the front room. It seemed as though nothing could ruin this day.

She bent down and picked up the mail, and quickly, before heading back to the kitchen she browsed through, it was in her nature to be nosey.  
"It came, it came!" Petunia squealed excitedly, "She sent it! About time too!" she finished, walking back to the kitchen, not knowing that she had left a letter on the floor, a single letter that was addressed to _"Ms. Lily Evans of 289 Cherry Wood Lane."_


End file.
